London’s collective solar panel project, endorsed by Mayor Sadiq Khan, faces challenges as delays and complaints arise.
Conservatives suggest it’s been quietly shelved, but the Mayor‘s office denies this, attributing problems to a supplier’s liquidation.
The group-buying programme, Solar Together, initiated and supported by Labour Mayor Sadiq Khan in 2017, enables multiple homeowners to collectively buy discounted solar panels.
By early 2023, City Hall received 1,456 complaints about the service from GET-UK, according to the Conservatives.
Conservative London Assembly member Emma Best claimed the scheme had been quietly shelved.
A spokesperson for the Mayor of London told Energy Live News: “Following the conclusion of the fifth phase of Solar Together, a comprehensive evaluation is taking place to ensure the GLA continues to offer the best possible solar energy support for Londoners in the years ahead.
“Solar Together has supported the installation of more than 24,000 solar panels across more than 3,400 London homes and is delivering significant discounts for customers.
“Due to one of the scheme’s suppliers going into liquidation, some customers in the fourth and fifth phases of Solar Together experienced unacceptably poor levels of service. This affected Solar Together customers across the country.
“The Mayor’s team stepped in to ensure installations in London were completed and customers refunded and this process is now close to being completed.
“The Mayor remains committed to delivering a net zero London by 2030 and solar power will continue to play a key role in this.”
